#Sustainability

2021-02-18

Eastman ranked 27th on Barron’s list of 100 Most Sustainable Companies

Eastman (NYSE:EMN) ranks No. 27 on Barron's 2021 list of the Most Sustainable Companies in the United States. To arrive at its list of the 100 Most Sustainable Companies, Barron's analyzed performance by the 1,000 largest U.S. publicly traded companies on a wide range of indicators related to sustainability and environment, social and corporate governance (ESG).

"Eastman is a specialty materials company, but we don't exist to just make materials," said Mark Costa, Eastman Board Chair and CEO. "Eastman exists to live out our company purpose, which is to enhance the quality of life in a material way. We are focused on innovating material solutions that care for society, improving our environment, and making materials circularity a reality by specifically addressing the plastic waste problem. And Eastman is committed to engaging on social issues to build a better society for all."

Barron's collaborated on the list with Calvert Research and Management, which analyzed data in five categories: shareholders, employees, customers, community and planet. An investment firm that specializes in sustainability and ESG investing, Calvert's data analysis included company scores on distinct topics within those five categories. Those topics included such areas as policies on greenhouse gas emissions, energy use and efficiency, workplace diversity, business ethics, product quality and product safety, lifecycle of products, workplace safety, and others.

In December, Eastman announced aggressive sustainability goals to address three critical impact areas: climate change, materials circularity and caring for society. Eastman plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 to mitigate climate change and plans to reach approximately one-third of this goal by 2030. The company also plans to recycle more than 500 million pounds of plastic waste by 2030 through its molecular recycling technologies. To care for society, Eastman has committed to achieve gender parity in alignment with its commitment to Paradigm for Parity® and will be a leader for racial equity within its industry sector. Eastman's sustainability commitments and innovation strategy are illustrated in its 2020 sustainability report, A Better Circle.?

This is the second time in five months that a major financial publication has ranked Eastman high on a sustainability list. In October, The Wall Street Journal ranked Eastman on its 2020 list of Most Sustainably Managed Companies.

The Barron's list of Most Sustainable Companies is available through subscription at http://barrons.com.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

ITMF names three winners of the Sustainability & Innovation Award 2026

Three projects from the UK, Korea and China have been selected as winners of the ITMF Sustainability & Innovation Award 2026. The projects address textile-to-textile recycling, chemical recycling for automotive textiles and a regenerative approach combining silk production with ecological restoration.

180 years of TESTEX: From Zurich silk testing to global certification

For 180 years, TESTEX has developed alongside the textile industry while maintaining the same underlying purpose: creating trust through independent and reliable measurement. Founded in Zurich in 1846 as the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute, TESTEX has grown from a local institution serving the silk trade into an international Swiss testing and certification institute for textiles and leather.

Cascale launches member-led process to shape 2030 strategy

Cascale has launched a member-led process to define the industry alliance’s strategic direction for the next decade. At the Cascale Annual Meeting 2026 in Athens, CEO Ying McGuire announced that members will contribute to an industry system map that will inform Cascale’s 10-year vision, its 2030 strategy and priorities for 2027. The new strategy is scheduled to be finalized in December.

KARL MAYER invites the Global Textile Industry to celebrate its 90th anniversary at its German Headquarters in 2027

KARL MAYER is turning its anniversary year 2027 into a milestone for the textile sector. To mark its 90th anniversary, the industry leader is inviting customers, partners, and experts from around the world to a unique event series in September aimed at pushing boundaries, unlocking new opportunities, and jointly setting the course for a new era in textiles – just as KARL MAYER has done throughout its history. The company’s headquarters in Obertshausen, near Frankfurt, is the place to be.

Durak Maxibalance thread supports users’ movement and balance comfort

Durak Tekstil, a leading brand in its industry, has developed Durak Maxibalance, a new product engineered with bio-ceramic and FAR IR technology. Ushering in a new era for sportswear, activewear, and medical textiles, this technology offers features designed to support balance and movement comfort by reflecting the energy absorbed from the body back into it.

Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 draws to a close, weaving sustainable innovation into global sourcing

Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 concluded with approximately 600 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions, connecting with nearly 22,000 visitors from 110 represented markets, bringing the textile industry’s evolving material agenda into sharper focus. Held alongside Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition, CHIC and PH Value, the fair connected upstream fibre and yarn innovation with fabric development, garment production and fashion-market demand.